What happened at daybreak? I overheard a conversation at daybreak today. "And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob". And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." - Genesis 32:26-30. Jacob finally found the integrity to profess his name before the Angel of the LORD in the midst of wrestling with Him [Genesis 32:27].
What is integrity? The strength and firmness of character or principle; honesty; trustworthiness; a state of being whole and undivided; completeness. The significance of Jacob finding courage to face up to himself stands in great contrast to the incident when he deceived Isaac, his father into blessing him with the blessings that Isaac had originally intended for Esau as the firstborn in Genesis 27. Jacob's admission birthed in him a mantle of truth and honesty.
I digged the morale behind this story. An honest confrontation. A struggle. Guess for once, who prevailed? The conniver! Nobody said he was perfect, but he was upfront with God. Upfront and personal. In the 66 books of the Bible, three men were mentioned by its Author as righteous. Noah, Job and Daniel. One in the ark, the other lost everything he ever had (but was restored doubly subsequently), and the last, whoa...den of lions. Now Jacob, where does he fall in the category of righteous? I reckon his righteousness came from God whom he had struggled with. Although he had to live a twisted hip, but I think he was straightened out inside, by none other than God himself. And that is lovely. Pure absolute delight!
Shalom saints! - A fellow wrestler,
Sv. ",+
Category: cf_sv, cf_tht
1 comment:
Ling,
As mentioned, I hadn't realised the significance of Jacob being asked to confess his name till I read your post. He was all along "Esau" until God gave him the chance to reinstate himself before God. In the same way, when Simon Peter was asked by Jesus if he loves him, he was given a chance to be reinstated as a disciple commited to the gospel. When God asks and we answer, there's restoration if we do it wholeheartedly.
In His Service,
Han-gor
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